Lamar Odom Can Cope With Depression — Find Out How

Lamar Odom has been down in the dumps since being axed from the Dallas Mavericks. A sports psychologist tells HollywoodLife.com the steps Lamar should take to feel better.

When Lamar Odom learned he would no longer be playing basketball for the Dallas Mavericks, he must have felt like his whole world was crumbling. “A lot of athlete’s identities are tied up into their career, so playing a sport becomes more than just a job to them,” Sport psychologist Justin Anderson exclusively tells HollywoodLife.com.

Although depression can ensue when anyone loses a job, for athletes, it seems the pain can hit even harder. “It’s who they are and who they’ve been identified as their whole life,” says Justin.

When people are dealing with a life-changing event, they go through stages of grief including denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.

“I’m sure he’s going through that right now, but athletes are great at dealing with adversity,” Justin adds. “They’re constantly being knocked down, missing shots, and getting criticized in the media — especially Lamar. The best athletes are the ones that have the shortest memories — the ones that can turn that corner and focus on the next thing.”

While that next big thing may not be reality TV, Justin says that ultimately, “Lamar needs to look back and ask himself how he bounced back from challenging situations in the past. I would try to help Lamar work through the grieving process and help him use some of the strengths he’s developed in the past to help him get through his adversity.”

Above all, Lamar needs to know that it’s OK to feel sadness. “If he didn’t feel that, I’d be concerned,” Justin explains. “At some point, he’s going to turn the corner and find new purpose and new meaning from this.”